Big Thompson,

01. Lake Estes to Drake (Big Tommy / Big T)

Usual Difficulty	II-IV+(V+) (may vary with level)
Length	11.5 Miles
Avg. Gradient	102 fpm
Max Gradient	266 fpm

Gauge Information

Name	Range	Difficulty	Updated	Level
BIG THOMPSON BL MORAINE PARK NR ESTES PARK, CO
usgs-402114105350101	200 - 600 cfs	II-IV+(V+)	49d06h53m	cfs

River Description

From Lake Estes to the handicap access fishing pier (9 miles) is II-IV (you can put in below the dam but beware of the fence just past the first bridge--easy to sneak on river right).

The short section of hair is from the fishing pier down about 1/2 mile. Check out Patrick Forsters' article in www.coloradokayaking.com, and a high water BIG Thompson Fall Photo Essay By: Evan J. Stafford. I also have pics of the hair section on Webshots.

From the bottom of the hair into drake is 3 miles of fun class IV with the occasional sticky hole. There are 2 super fun IV+ rapids in the middle that are back to back.

On July 31, 1976 the Big Thompson watershed experienced a 10,000 year flood event, a 20 foot wall of water moving 60 miles an hour tore down the canyon killing 144 people. NOAA summary of the flood

To Get There: Hwy 34 between Estes Park and Loveland runs beside the river. Various put-in and take-out options exist. The best run is from the hair section (obvious from the road) down to Drake.